Emergency doctors rely on empathy: at Psy. Emergency cases fewer injection!

Emergency doctors rely on empathy: at Psy. Emergency cases fewer injection!

A groundbreaking study at the University Hospital Ulm shows dramatic gender -specific differences in the treatment of psychiatric emergencies by emergency doctors. The examination analyzed 2,882 protocols of missions between 2015 and 2021 and found that male emergency doctors resorted to intravenous sedatives more than twice as often than their female colleagues. This emphasizes a shocking trend: While men take invasive measures, emergency doctors are increasingly familiar with an empathetic patient approach to de-escalating conflicts, such as fear and panic disorders. In an interview, Professor Carlos Schönfeldt-Lecuona made it clear: "Doctors actively listen to listening and positive encouragement in order to build a trusting relationship with the patients," said the doctor.

study illuminates essential differences

The emergency doctors seemed less to use invasive methods, even more often, they dispensed with measurements of vital parameters, which are often perceived by psychiatric patients as invasive. These findings are rooted in a system of empathy and understanding, such as Dr. Benedikt Schick, first author of the study, said. "The use of psychotropic drugs for calming is perceived as a maximum escalation of the intervention and has a profound effect on the integrity of those affected," says Schick. The focus on less invasive treatment methods could not only improve patient experience, but also revolutionize the reaction to psychiatric emergencies.

Surprisingly, however, there is no gender difference in enforcing hospital admissions against the will of the patients. This shows that in crucial situations, despite the different approaches between men and women, there are identical medical decisions, which indicates a nuanced reality in emergency medicine. These results, published in the “BMC Emergency Medicine” journal, could in future influence the way in which psychiatric emergencies are treated and emphasize the importance of empathetic communication, as well as Ulm-news.de and fr.de report.